RUGBY TOWN: Free weekend

Alex Gudger against Ashford on Saturday

Published:08:39Friday 01 November 2013

Break from action for Valley

Despite the best efforts of club secretary Doug Wilkins, it looks like Rugby Town have been unable to arrange a fixture to fill the blank weekend caused by unavailability of scheduled opponents Egham due to FA Trophy duty.

Matters had been well-advanced in switching the trip to Aylesbury from next January to this weekend. However, the condition of their Haywood Way pitch ultimately saw the abandonment of this plan – meaning Valley will have to wait until a week on Saturday (November 9) to build on their recent impressive Calor League momentum, when Uxbridge are the visitors to Butlin Road.

Monday evening’s 4-1 win at Beaconsfield was Town’s sixth straight victory in the Central Division, and came hot on the heels of a hard fought for 1-0 success at home to Ashford last Saturday.

The table’s top two – Barton and Dunstable – are well within third placed Valley’s sights now, although the form team of the division (in all competitions) are undoubtedly near neighbours Daventry.

The Northamptonshire side are a place and a point below Rugby, but have two games in-hand and they have also reached the first round of the F.A.Cup last weekend with a 6-1 win at Hartley Wintney – earning themselves a plum tie at Chesterfield as a reward.

It is likely to be another tough battle to get out of the division though, with two of the pre-season favourites for promotion contention Royston and Slough occupying the next subsequent two places after midweek victories at Chertsey and Chalfont respectively.

# Rugby have been drawn away to Redditch in the second round of the Red Insure (Southern League) Cup competition. The match is scheduled to be played at the Valley Stadium on Monday November 11th.

# Meanwhile Town will face a home tie against either Coleshill or Conference Premier side Tamworth in the next round of the Birmingham Senior Cup. The date of this fixture to be arranged.

# The Rugby Town youth team failed to qualify for the first round proper of the FA Youth cup, following their 1-0 defeat against Worcester.